1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of wirework, and more specifically, to tools for untwisting wires.
2. Description of Related Art
Pairs of metal wires are often twisted together into a helical configuration. This sort of twisting can be used to join wires over long lengths, and has certain other uses and advantages. For example, when wires are used to carry electrical signals, helical twisting of pairs of wires reduces electromagnetic interference with the signals that the two wires are carrying.
Cables using metal wires for signal conduction are in wide and common use. One of the more common cables in use today is the standard Category-5 (CAT-5) Ethernet cable, which is used to connect computers and other computing hardware for networking purposes. Inside the CAT-5 Ethernet cable are four twisted pairs of wires, for a total of eight conductor wires. The ends of the cable may be capped with standard RJ-45 connectors, or the wires may simply be connected to appropriate terminal blocks without a connector, depending on the application.
When installing or otherwise manipulating cables that use twisted pair wires, it is often necessary to untwist the individual wires so that they can be fitted into connectors or terminal blocks. For example, to insert the end of the CAT-5 Ethernet cable into a connector, the four pairs of wires are untwisted a short distance, and the connector is crimped over the untwisted, straightened ends. An electrical connection is made by contacts within the connector that penetrate the insulation of the individual wires.
Ethernet cable is often installed in large volumes, for example, in a new office building. A large spool of the cable is usually brought in, and installers are left to cut whatever lengths of cable are necessary from the spool. In order to connect those pieces of cable, a short length of the twisted pairs of wires is untwisted, as was described above. The process of untwisting the pairs of wires during the installation can be laborious and difficult, and becomes more so as the user repeats the operation many times to make multiple cables. The installer may have difficulty grasping the wires, and after a number of such operations, his or her fingers may hurt.